Marcus Samuelsson Tells Ex-Convicts 'Texture Is Very Key'

Yesterday, the owner of Red Rooster swung by the Fortune Society, a nonprofit for formerly incarcerated men and women, to offer them a demo on healthy eating. Samuelsson cooked fried chicken and a salad with buttermilk dressing, offering tips for how to keep the leaves from going prison-lunch limp:

He showed the group how to prepare a salad that is crisp and full of texture. He also cautioned them against drowning the salad in dressing before it was time to serve.

"When you cook, think about texture," he said. "Texture is very key."

The demo appears to have gone well, with Vilma Ortiz Donovan, who served time for the illegal sale of narcotics and now works with Fortune Society saying she is "definitely going to make that salad."